Every now and then we’re all guilty of posting the odd piece of ‘filler’ content on the likes of Facebook and Twitter.

Fair enough really – we can’t be awesome ALL of the time, and the short shelf life of a tweet teamed with the general noisiness of the average Twitter stream means that most tweets get lost within minutes anyway.

So, to a point, the the odd ‘filler’ tweet can be forgiven. At least no one’s going to shoot you down for it.

But, and it’s a big but, for those who publish actual content – specifically Vines, in this instance – with the same ‘meh’-style execution as their tweets cannot be graced with the same levels of forgiveness. I’m referring more to brands here, who really should know better.

Many brands make excellent use of Vine and have proven that six seconds is more than enough time to tell a story and capture the attention of their audience (VW’s Shark Week Vines are a personal favourite of mine). Unfortunately, there are also many who are failing.

So, if you’re thinking of throwing a few Vines out there as part of your social marketing strategy, be sure to avoid the following points. I’ve thrown in a few examples for good measure.

1. Cram in as many frames as possible

Make most of the precious few seconds you have by condensing as many shots as possible into one Vine. Really, go mad. The more the better.

2. Lead with sound

Doing this ensures that when people view your Vine with the sound off (as many will) they won’t have a clue what’s going on.

3. Ensure music is tinny and fragmented

Particularly if you’re promoting something like, oh I don’t know, a music channel.

4. Jump on trends a bit late

Because the Harlem Shake is definitely still awesome.

5. Don’t worry too much about video quality

It’s only six seconds after all, and people don’t expect much from you – a brand, with a strategy, time, budget, and a team of experienced, professional marketers at your disposal.

6. Be boring

‘Fun’ content is overrated, and if there’s one thing people like to watch in their spare time, it’s people at work, having meetings.